Safety device for boats



M35 9, 1967 D. w. JOHNSON ETAL 3,317,936

SAFETY DEVICE FOR BOATS Filed March 22, 1965 BUM United States Patent O Fried Mar. 2z, 196s, ser. No. 441,492 9 ciaims. (el. 9 14) This invention relates to a safety line and more particularly to a safety line for a boat.

Boating accidents quite frequently occur wherein a person either falls from the boat or the boat is overturned. It is common knowledge that the person in the water should attempt to stay with the boat rather than attempting to swim to shore or the like. However, such things as water currents, Waves, undertow orrother forces sometimes separate the person from the boat. Additionally, the person may -be rendered unconscious in the mishap and lwillbe unable to grasp onto the boat.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a sa-fety device for boats which prevents a person from being separated from the boat in the event that the person falls :from the boat or if the boat overturns.

A further object of this invention is to provide a safety device for boats which is ycontained within a housing or float.

A further object of this invention is to provide a safety device for boats which enables the endangered person to grasp the same and pull himself towards the boat.

A further object of this invention is to provide a safety device for boats which has a reel means contained within a housing which serves to effectively store the safety line.

A further object of this invention is to provide a safety device for boats which has a lioat means attached thereto to indicate the position of the person in the water.

A further object of this invention is to provide a safety device for boats which is quickly and easily attached to the boat structure and to the person using the device.

A further object of this invention is to provide a safety device for boats which is easily repaired.

A further object of this invention is to provi-de a safety device for boats which includes a pair of spring-type reel means which aid in keeping the float means out of the boaters way.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a safety device forboats which is economical of manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully. set forth, specically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View vof the safety device for boats extending from a person to the boat;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device with a portion of the boat structure cut away to illustrate one means of securing the device to the boat;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the device seen on line 3 3 of FIG. 2, at an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a sectional View of the device seen on line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the device seen on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

The numeral generally indicates a hollow housing or oat comprised of housing members 11 and 13. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, housing member 11 is provided with a lip portion 15 extending around its inner end which is .adapted to detachably receive inner end 16 of Patented May 9, 1967 housing member 13 to yieldably maintain housing members 11 an-d 13 together in the position seen in the drawings. Housing members 11 and 13 are provided with openings 17 and 19 respectively in their outer ends which have grommets 21 and 23 mounted therein respectively.

A substantially U-shaped frame 25 having a base portion 27 and opposite sides 29 and 31 is enclosed within housing 10 as seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. As lbest seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, side 29 is provided with spaced apart flanges 33 and 35 extending horizontally outwardly from the upper end thereof. Side 31 is provided with spaced apart flanges 37 and 39 extending horizontally outwardly from the upper end thereof.

A pair of reel means 41 and 41 are rotatably mounted on .frame 25 and extend between sides 29 and 31 and are substantially identical to each other. Inasmuch as reel means 41 and 41' are identical with one exception, only reel means 41 will bedescribed with indicating identical structure in reel means 41.

Reel means 41 includes an axle member 43 which is secured to flange 37 by means of screw 45 extending downwardly Ithereinto. An axle member 46 which is rotatably embraced by a bushing 47 is secured to flange 33 by strap means 49.

As best seen in FIG. 4, a spool 51 having opposite flanges 53 and 55 and an interior compartment 57 formed therein is mounted on and extends between axle members 43 and 46. Spool 51 is rigidly secured to axle member 46 by means of pin 59 extending therethrough. Pin 59 has an eye screw 61 secured thereto which is secured to one end of spring 63 in compartment 57. The other end of spool 51 is rotatably mounted on axle member 43. An eye screw 65 is secured to the inner end of axle member 43 and is connected to the other end of spring 63.

A flexible line member 67 secured to spool 51 -by any convenient means is wound therearound and extends outwardly through grommet 21. The free end of line member 67 has a spring-type snap 69 secure-d thereto.

The only difference between reel means 41 and 41 is that spring 63 is a stronger spring than spring 63 (not shown) so that line member 67 will unwind from spool 51 before line member 67 will unwind 4from spool 51.

As seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, a block of styrofoam 73 is secured at its lower end to the upper surface of base member 27 and is adapted to engage the upper inner surrface of housing member 13 to prevent vertical movement of frame 25 with respect to housing 10. The engagement of the opposite ends of frame 2S with the interior surfaces of housing members 11 and 13 prevents longia tudinal movement of frame 2S with respect to housing 10. The numeral 71 generally indicates a boat structure.

The normal method of operation is as follows: The majority of the length of line 67 would be wound around spool 51 so that snap 69 is positioned adjacent housing 10. Snap 69 can be secured to any convenient part of the boat such as seat, side or transom. Spring 63 yieldably resists the unwinding of line 67 from spool 51 so that housing 10` is maintained adjacent the part of the boat where snap 69 is secured. This feature maintains housing 10 out of the boaters way.

Snap 69' is secured to the boater in any convenient fashion such as is illustrated in FIG. 2. As mentioned before, spring 63 is weaker than spring 63 so that line 67 will unwind from housing 10 before line 67. Such structure also aids in keeping housing 1) out of the boaters way.

As seen in FIG. l, lines 67 and 67 are in a semi-taut position when they are unwound from spools 51 and 51 respectively due to the movement of the boater. Reel means 41 and 41 are adapted to permit the boater to move freely about the boat without noticeable hindrance from the safety line.

If the boater should fall from the boat, the device will prevent him from becoming separated from the boat. He can pull himself back to the boat by simply grasping either line 67 or 67 and pulling himself towards the boat thereby. It can be appreciated that the device prevents the boater from becoming separated from the boat regardless of the water currents, waves, undeitow or other force.

Not only does the safety device provide a means for the boater to pull himself towards the boat but also provides a means for a second party to pull the person in the water towards the boat without himself entering the Water. The styrofoam block 73 not only prevents vertical movement of frame 25 with respect to housing 10 but also aids in keeping the housing afloat. The ability of housing l() to iioat provides a convenient means for 1oc-ating the device within the water and also serves to locate the person in the water should he be submerged.

Housing 1t) is preferably constructed of a plastic material and should be painted so that it is easily seen. Frame 25 may be constructed of plastic, lightweight metal or other suitable material.

Thus it can be seen that the safety device for a boat has been described herein which positively prevents the user from being separated from the boat and safety.

Thus it can be seen that the device accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of our safety device for boats without departing from the real spirit and purpose of our invention, and it is our intention to cover by our claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

We claim:

i. In a safety device for boats,

a small housing element having an interior compartment,

lirst and second spring loaded reel means in said cornpartment,

a iirst length of line operatively secured at one of its ends to said rst reel means and extending outwardly from said housing,

a second length of line operatively secured at one of its ends to said second reel means and extending outwardly from said housing,

said rst length of line having attachment means at its other end for attachment to a boat,

said second length of line having attachment means at its other end for attachment to a person.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said iirst and second reel means are operatively mounted on a frame means in said housing, and wherein an elongated oatable member engages said frame means at one of its ends and the interior of said housing at its other end.

3. The device of claim l wherein said rst and second spring loaded reel means have a portion of the lengths of said first and second lines wound therearound respectively and yieldably resist the unwinding of the same, said Iirst reel means being adapted to provide a greater yieldable resistance than said second reel means.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein a substantially U-shaped frame is removably mounted in said housing and includes a base portion and opposite sides; said rst and second reel means being operatively secured at their i opposite ends to said opposite sides of said frame and extending therebetween.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said frame has opposite ends, said opposite ends engaging the interior surface of said housing to prevent horizontal movement of said frame with respect to said housing.

6. In combination,

a boat structure,

a housing element having an interior compartment,

iirst and second spring loaded reel means operatively mounted in said compartment,

a first length of line operatively connected at one of its ends to said lirst reel means and extending outwardly from said housing,

said first length of line being detachably secured at its other end to said boat structure,

a second length of line operatively detachably connected at one of its ends to said second reel means and extending outwardly from said housing,

said second length of li-ne being adapted to be operatively detachably connected at its other end to a person in said boat structure.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said housing i floatable so that said housing is capable of serving as a marker.

8. In combination,

a housing having a buoyant means therein,

a pair of spring-loaded reels in said housing and having different spring constants,

a first length of line operatively secured at one of its ends to one of said reels and extending outwardly from said housing,

said lirst length of line having attachment means at its other end for attachment to a boat,

a second length of line operatively secured at one of its ends to the other reel and extending outwardly from said housing,

said second length of line having attachment means at its other end for attachment to a person,

said one spring-loaded reel having a greater spring constant than said other reel.

9. In combination,

a housing,

a pair of spring-loaded reels in said housing and having different spring constants,

a rst length of line operatively secured at one of itS ends to one of said reels and extending outwardly from said housing,

said rst length of line having attachment means at its other end for attachment to a boat,

a second length of line operatively secured at one of its ends to the other reel and extending outwardly from said housing,

said second length of line having attachment means at its other end for attachment to a person,

said one spring-loaded reel having a greater spring constant than said other reel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,663,083 3/1928 Kavle 242-107.1 2,198,755 4/ 1940 Berndt 9--8 2,368,558 1/1945 Maloney 9-14 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Examiner.

T- MAJ OR2 Assistant Examiner. f' 

1. IN A SAFETY DEVICE FOR BOATS, A SMALL HOUSING ELEMENT HAVING AN INTERIOR COMPARTMENT, FIRST AND SECOND SPRING LOADED REEL MEANS IN SAID COMPARTMENT, A FIRST LENGTH OF LINE OPERATIVELY SECURED AT ONE OF ITS ENDS TO SAID FIRST REEL MEANS AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID HOUSING, A SECOND LENGTH OF LINE OPERATIVELY SECURED AT ONE OF ITS ENDS TO SAID SECOND REEL MEANS AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID HOUSING, SAID FIRST LENGTH OF LINE HAVING ATTACHMENT MEANS AT ITS OTHER END FOR ATTACHMENT TO A BOAT, SAID SECOND LENGTH OF LINE HAVING ATTACHMENT MEANS AT ITS OTHER END FOR ATTACHMENT TO A PERSON. 